Anthony Lane on Con Air—
“Advance word on Con Air said that it was all about an airplane with an unusually dangero... read full description
“Advance word on Con Air said that it was all about an airplane with an unusually dangero... read full description
reviews
Mar 22, 2008
brian
rated it: 
i HATE anthony lane. hate. hate. hate.
this smarmy jackass writes as if he considers himself a wit equal to that of waugh or wodehouse. piss off you unfunny and insincere bore.
ridiculous that he holds the job that pauline kael once held. she could be majorly infuriating, stubborn, and just plain wrong... but, shit. she loved movies. and laid her ass on the line in defense (or offense) of one. lane, that coward, doesn't put shit out there. fuck him.
this smarmy jackass writes as if he considers himself a wit equal to that of waugh or wodehouse. piss off you unfunny and insincere bore.
ridiculous that he holds the job that pauline kael once held. she could be majorly infuriating, stubborn, and just plain wrong... but, shit. she loved movies. and laid her ass on the line in defense (or offense) of one. lane, that coward, doesn't put shit out there. fuck him.
54 comments
like
(11 people liked it)
Dec 17, 2009
Dave-O
rated it: 
When I can, I read an essay of Anthony Lane's out of this book before going to bed. I have to admit that when I pick up the New Yorker, I flip to the back to see if he's written the week's movie review (No offense, David Denby). His writing style is smooth, like a good drink. If he has a bone to pick with a certain director, actor or other figure he can be scathing and ruthless. On the other hand when he something moves him artistically he is sincere about his feelings. While he is intelligent a
More...
Dec 05, 2010
Danielle
rated it: 
Anthony Lane, where have you been all my life!?! (Thanks, Emily!) Let's just put it this way: his review of "Indecent Proposal" made me actually go out and rent the "film" for the first time. And yes, Woody Harrelson in a shaggy wig pretending to be a high-school student IS "one of those preposterously, sublimely wrong moments that make you glad to be a moviegoer." And then there's this gem from his review of "Contact:" "She does get laid in the fi
More...
May 29, 2010
David
rated it: 
I have no idea how goodreads orders the list of reviews for any given book and, in general, I don't really care. That said, I found it striking that the review that makes the top of the list for "Nobody's Perfect" corresponded to one of only two 1-star ratings for the book. It's a petulant "review" -- a little package of sputtering invective wrapped around "brian's" dissatisfaction that Anthony Lane is not Pauline Kael. In the ensuing comment thread, the most common
More...
5 comments
like
(6 people liked it)
Oct 26, 2007
Charles
rated it:
This a great before bedtime read. Life to busy to focus in on a novel? Pick one or two reviews a night and be satifisfied. New Yorker reviewer weighs in on 90's movies and personalities you thought you never cared about.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 28, 2008
Rachel C.
rated it:
PA, that Anthony Lane is your movie reviewer while Roger Ebert (obliquely disparaged by Lane himself in his introduction) is mine says a lot about the two of us. Check out a few of Ebert's reviews online - or better yet, one of his books - and you'll see what I mean.
Anthony Lane is snarky, hilarious and one of the most creative insulters I've ever encountered - Elizabeth Berkley, for example, probably cries herself to sleep every night. Lane is the guy you want to be laughing with More...
Anthony Lane is snarky, hilarious and one of the most creative insulters I've ever encountered - Elizabeth Berkley, for example, probably cries herself to sleep every night. Lane is the guy you want to be laughing with More...
Aug 08, 2007
Nancy
rated it:
Anthony Lane is scathingly funny and an excellent reviewer and not just because I usually agree with him. This compilation of his New Yorker film reviews and some other essays (the one about reading the New York Times bestsellers is great) is a keeper. My absolute favorite is his account of a Rocky Horror-style sing-along Sound of Music he attended in London. "There were...a load of people who looked like giant parcels. I didn't get it. 'Who are they?' I said to the nun who was having a
More...
May 28, 2010
Doug
rated it:
great collection of New Yorker film reviewer, Lane's reviews...does include many lightweight films such that the review proves to be more entertaining than the referenced image on the screen
Sep 18, 2007
Adam
rated it:
I keep wanting to write "Anthony Lane is the best kind of film critic..." but I don't really know if that's right. Jonathan Rosenbaum referred to Lane as a stand-up comic. Forgetting that this is supposed to be an insult, I think I know what's irking Rosenbaum. Reading Lane isn't necessarily going to enliven a film for you, he's not the deepest of critics, and he doesn't wear his smarts on his sleeve. I don't think his aim is to dig into a film and raise your appreciation of it -- at l
More...
Dec 17, 2009
John Jackson
rated it:
Anthony Lane is a marvel. More astonishingly literate, funny, and perspicacious in one paragraph of a movie review than other critics can hope to be in a career. Let alone his always being right -- putting words to (at least) my own thoughts on the movies I see. But it is the accretive effect of the movie reviews taken in sequence in the book, the book reviews that follow, and then finally the profiles that really blows the hair back. His essay on the joys of reading cookbooks -- not working
More...
Dec 01, 2009
Josh
rated it:
Delicious bons mots with genuine insight. Lane admits not even critics are perfect and praises crowdpleasers like "Titanic" and "Speed" that want just to entertain.
Dec 22, 2011
Gareth
rated it:
Perfect bed time reading, though you'll need something like a car jack to keep it from wobbling off-balance and denting your face.
Dec 17, 2009
Laura
rated it:
While you might not always agree with Lane's reviews (I admit that his opinions and mine are quite congruent), his writing is pure New York -- trenchant, pungent, and very often bitchy (while it's too recent to be included in this collection, see if you can get your hands on his review of Revenge of the Sith). This book collects not only a Lane's writing on film, but also his writing on more general topics. His evaluation of the New York Times fiction best-seller list is as opinionated as his fi
More...
Jan 29, 2008
Pa
rated it:
If Rachel is willing to give up 50 points of her IQ for a good voice or something like that (correct me Rachel), then I'm also willing to give up 50 points of my IQ to be able to write like Anthony Lane. Brilliant, funny, playful, and full of images and imagery, this collection is a sampling of AL's film reviews as well as his one-off articles on topics ranging from Martha Stewart's cookbook to Evelyn Waugh's short short stories to Evans Walker's photography. I savored every page, every senten
More...
May 27, 2009
Jeremy
rated it:
A collection of his reviews from the New Yorker. Dry humor done the way only Brits can do it.
Oct 10, 2007
Billy
rated it:
The movie reviews are the best, of course -- bursts of snarky erudition, which dismantle the ridiculousness of so many films yet all the while manage to avoid being ill-tempered or condescending. The review of "Indecent Proposal" is very funny.
For some reason, his New Yorker reviews now are all about movies that he actually likes, which is helpful if you share his taste, but not if what you've really got an appetite for is the light-touched disdain. Thankfully, there's a More...
For some reason, his New Yorker reviews now are all about movies that he actually likes, which is helpful if you share his taste, but not if what you've really got an appetite for is the light-touched disdain. Thankfully, there's a More...
Feb 20, 2008
Vicki
rated it:
There are two people's film reviews who I love and consult and trust (so far -- I'm not a snob about movies by any means). One is Roger Ebert and the other is Anthony Lane. They're both very witty and intelligent writers, and more often than not, their reviews are actually essays. Especially with Lane. He's sharp and has a really good context for anything connected to any movie he's writing about. To me that's what sends it over the top.
Dec 17, 2009
Rachel
rated it:
A good book for picking up and reading a review then moving on. Some of Lane's reviews are dead on, others didn't jibe with me, and others were for things I had never seen nor read.
Bridges of Madison County, both the book and movie reviews (2 separate) are perfect for my taste. My husband burst out laughing then read them to me through the giggles (and he's never read the book). Later I re-read the reviews to the same hysterics.
Bridges of Madison County, both the book and movie reviews (2 separate) are perfect for my taste. My husband burst out laughing then read them to me through the giggles (and he's never read the book). Later I re-read the reviews to the same hysterics.
Jun 14, 2008
Emily
rated it:
"What is the point of Demi Moore?" I <3 Anthony Lane. Other than the question of Demi Moore, the review of Halloween H20 is the best piece so far, mostly because it steps into "personal essay" territory and is really quite moving. I picked this up at a stoop sale and haven't finished it yet but am psyched to read the rest, especially the profiles at the end (Preston Sturges, Billy Wilder, et al.)
Oct 29, 2007
Tony
rated it:
I love Anthony Lane's work in the New Yorker. This book is just a continuation of that body of excellence. Lane demonstrates a great feeling for the history of film. He's a reviewer who can use his cutting tongue to praise a film as well as strafe it.
What comes through in this book is the feeling that he likes going to the movies. A critic who likes his milieu. What are the odds of that?
What comes through in this book is the feeling that he likes going to the movies. A critic who likes his milieu. What are the odds of that?
Feb 21, 2008
Phil
rated it:
Oh man, I freakin' love Anthony Lane.
Check out his review of Speed, possibly the greatest bad movie review of all time (it's right up there with A.O. Scott on "The Fast and the Furious", and yeah, I know he liked Speed).
Also very good: the essay in which he reads the NYT fiction bestseller list and reviews each one, and his skewering of genre writers (in an essay about obituaries).
Check out his review of Speed, possibly the greatest bad movie review of all time (it's right up there with A.O. Scott on "The Fast and the Furious", and yeah, I know he liked Speed).
Also very good: the essay in which he reads the NYT fiction bestseller list and reviews each one, and his skewering of genre writers (in an essay about obituaries).
Jul 19, 2008
Frankie
rated it:
He writes with a light classy touch but is still completely unafraid to "work blue", much like a genteel Englishman who likes to slum in the Whitechapel District boozing and whoring when the fleet's in.
His self-deprecation is winning. Theres nothing like a critic cringing with self-doubt and who can't help telling you about it as therapy at our expense.
His self-deprecation is winning. Theres nothing like a critic cringing with self-doubt and who can't help telling you about it as therapy at our expense.
Jan 28, 2009
Dan
rated it:
Lane writes like a love child of Pauline Kael and P.G. Wodehouse, passionate & insightful about movies and very funny, with some Woosterlike turns of phrase that bring tears to my eyes. These are mostly collected New Yorker film reviews from the 1990s and early 2000s, but they hold up well, especially the droll putdowns of pretentious turkeys.
Feb 06, 2008
Iben
rated it:
If you enjoy the New Yorker's film review section, then definitely check out this book. My favorite aspect of this book is that it is not just a collection of reviews of films he actually enjoyed. Instead, it's a collection of his best writing on film. The review of "Indecent Proposal" alone is worth the cost of the book.
Dec 17, 2009
Andrew
rated it:
The films "Deep Impact" and "Speed 2" may not deserve viewing, but Anthony Lane's reviews of them make me happy they were created -- if only to get Lane's profound, funny and insightful bitch slaps. His reviews of film and literature through early 2000 are collected in this marvelous book. Read it!
Sep 10, 2011
Molly
rated it:
Not just hilarious but spot on. The first thing I look for when I open the New Yorker is to see if Lane wrote the movie reviews for that issue. Now, I can read the best of at my leisure including priceless accounts of Indecent Proposal, Don Juan, and Showgirls.
Jul 19, 2010
Jess
rated it:
[summer 2008] even when i don't agree w/ lane's film assessments (of which this book is primarily comprised), i almost always love his writing. frequently makes me look at a film from an angle i hadn't considered.
Dec 10, 2007
Molly
rated it:
I have such a crush on Anthony Lane. I'll be reading and rereading these superb essays when I no longer remember the films themselves. (Plus, the hardcover edition includes an image of Buster Keaton on the cover.)
Dec 17, 2009
My buddy Alen introduced me to Anthony Lane, who was one of my favorite movie reviewers in The New Yorker. Not that I read the New Yorker often, but when I do I always look to see if there's a review by this guy.
